Thoughts on American culture: music, TV, movies, icons...

09/01/2011

Unpacking "No Church In The Wild"

Jay-Z’s verse on No Church In the Wild is one of the most interesting on Watch the Throne as it combines religion, spirituality, and philosophy. I tried to unpack most of what I heard but I’m sure there’s things I’m missing. It’s a deep verse. (Again, my point system is based on amateur boxing with 2 points for great lines, 1 point for good lines and 0 for anything else. But in this verse there's no 0s.)

Tears on the mauseoleum floorBlood stains the coliseum doors[2 points for the first line and 2 points for the second—These are great, brief images, like complex snapshots made by words—those sorts of photos that seem to suggest a scene. These give us moments of power asserting itself on weakness. In some grand, giant building, a mauseoleum, someone has been made to cry. On the door of the grand, giant stadium someone’s blood has been spilled. (Possibly many someones.) In societally-massive places someone has hurt someone else and left the mark of it behind. Thus Jay-Z slides into the song as a detached narrator, passing no judgment on these scenes, like a director starting the film with still images that tell so much but leave many questions, too. Also, really nice poetic work here rhyming a pair of four-syllable-then-one-syllable words.]

Lies on the lips of a priest Thanksgiving disguised as a feast [2, 2—In the song’s first two lines, the images were literal but in these two lines the images have turned figurative. But still we have power asserting itself on weakness. Priests were once among the most powerful men in society—a time evoked by words like mauseoleum and coliseum. This lying priest is hurting the people who believe him absolutely just as the person (or people) who cried and bled in the previous lines were hurt. Also, this figurative image becomes more literal because the previous two lines were literal so he’s accustomed you to see images from the words so that when you get a figurative line you see that, too. So I visualize the lies—these malicious words sitting on his lips like diseased spittle, about to fly out to the people’s ears. The following line (about Thanksgiving) concludes the series of images with a celebratory moment that’s really a Trojan horse allowing the powerful to take advantage of the weak. Interestingly, the first three lines suggest old Europe— mauseoleum, coliseum, a place where Priests had hegemony—while the fourth line, the line about Thanksgiving, clearly evokes early America, though perhaps at the beginning of America they were still more European than American. Perhaps.]

Rollin’ in the Rolls-Royce Corniche [2—All these lines are getting 2’s because of the overall story they’re telling and how well they fit together to build something that’s greater than the sum of the parts. Is this particular line great in a vacuum? Maybe not, though the alliteration is nice, but what makes it great is how it fits with the lines we’ve been given before. Jay’s been a detached narrator so far, giving himself no place in the story and not even passing judgment on the scenes he’s painting. Here he enters the story in style. In style linguistically—there’s an elegant subtlety to how he inserts himself into the narrative. He doesn’t say “I” but you know it’s him rolling in that expensive car. It’s almost like he’s driven into the story casually—because you wouldn’t drive that car fast. Keep this image in mind—Jay driving. He’s not just bragging. He’s placing himself as a character within the narrative. This is the moment where the verse becomes something of a scene.]

Only the doctors got this, I’m hidin’ from police [2—Jay’s been talking about the interaction of power and weakness but here he locates himself within that conversation but he makes it unclear who’s got the power. He’s got a car that only doctors can afford, that only the rich can get, so it’s a signifier of his power but he’s gotta watch out for the police because they’re the power and they’ll stop him for Driving [An Expensive Ride] While Black. So Jay’s both powerful and not so powerful at the same time.]

Cocaine seats All white like I got the whole thing bleached [2, 2—More great, precise imagery. The whole car is cocaine white, the crispest, sharpest white available. This continues the tangible, writerly detail he’s been giving us the whole song. And the bleaching is not just a reference to the car itself. “The whole thing” refers to Jay’s business and persona—he was in the streets and now he’s bleached his life. He’s clean. He’s a business, man. “Cocaine seats” puts the ghost of his old life into the air but we know there’s nothing that cops can stop him for. Except maybe Driving While Black.]

Drug dealer chic I’m wonderin’ if a thug’s prayers reach [1, 2—Drug dealer chic is what Jay’s style is all about but it’s not a line that’s blowing me away. But it links nicely with his allusions toward his coke-dealing days and his next line (I’m wonderin’ if a thug’s prayers reach) which goes back to the interplay between power and weakness and who’s truly powerful as well as launching us toward the religiosity alluded to in the song’s title and intro and discussed in depth in the next few lines. But it’s a great line in and of itself, a great philosophical question—do the prayers of an immoral criminal reach God’s ears? Does God take care of everyone or just those who are good? Keep in mind “I’m wonderin…” which may seem like a throwaway but isn’t—it’s there that the verse starts a trip into his mind. I see him cruising in his Corniche, pontificating, gettin all philosophical and shit.]

Is Pious pious cause God loves pious? [2—This is an awesome line that deserves much more than 2. Jay’s taken the spiritual/philosophical question of the previous line to another level and dropped a deep and legendary philosophical question. This is the legendary Euthyphro dilemma in which Socrates asks “Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?” We’re talking Socrates now? We’re asking what is the source of what is Godly? Why are the things considered morally good considered that? How do we know what is Godly and why? In a polytheistic society, like the one Socrates lived in, this question was all the more complex: what if one god favors one behavior and another does not? This line, right after wondering if a criminal’s prayers would be answered by God, makes for a really deep pair of thoughts. In quick succession Jay’s wondered about the relationship to God of society’s moral lowest and highest. This, in a pop song?]

Socrates asks, “Whose bias do y’all seek?” [2—Before he quoted Socrates, now he name checks him and gives us his own summary of what Socrates is saying. Whose opinion matters to you? Are you following reason or faith? This is a pop song?]

All for Plato, screech [2—Now he’s naming Plato, Socrates’s homie. I can’t believe this sort of philosophical discussion and historical namechecking is flowing so smoothly in a pop song. But the 2 points here really goes to the seemingly insignificant “screech” which is a pivot point in the verse. It’s an onomatopoeia, of course, but it works two ways stopping two things. First it stops this line of deep philosophical discussion he’s been giving us. This is the pivot where he turns sharply and moves away from philosophy and into more classic Jay talk. But also, go back to the image of him in the car, when the Rolls enters the narrative. Jay describes the Rolls that he’s sitting in then says “I’m wonderin…” and the lines after that are a continuously deepening series of philosophical thoughts moving from a thug’s relationship with God to Socrates’s pondering the nature of piety. All these are thoughts he’s having as he’s rolling in the Rolls. It’s as if the voice of his inner monologue had been going in a voiceover. And then the car—the vehicle in which he’s having these thoughts—comes to a hard stop, a screech, and he snaps back to real life.]

I’m out here ballin’, I know ya’ll hear my sneaks [2—Here’s a nice little double-entendre. He’s out in the streets ballin—either living large and/or playing basketball. If the latter you’d hear his sneaks, because while playing sneakers naturally squeak and even, maybe, screech. Or, if you’re ballin as hard as he is, your sneakers would be immediately noticed, or perhaps so stylistically loud they’re heard.]

Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy laid beats [2—Clever, clever: One third of the real Holy Trinity built literal things while Kanye builds music piece by piece, similar to carpentry. If that were the whole idea then this would maybe get a 1 but it’s followed up by…]

Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the hell up out your seats. [2—Damn the payoff is large: Jay-Hova is another third of the Holy Trinity he’s describing (along with Yeezy). He’s always talked about his writing and rhyming ability is beyond conscious, it’s God-given—as if it’s God flowing through him, he says. There’s something mysterious about the Holy Ghost and something mysterious about his ability to him, so it makes sense for him to link himself to that in this analogy. Who’s the God in this triumvirate? Is it God or is it the audience? Also, knowing Jay, he didn’t place the word hell there lightly, at the end of a verse filled with references to religion, spirituality and philosophy.]

Preach [1—This is interesting. It’s a cool way to finish a verse that’s had so much religion and philosophy in it and it nicely lands the verse in a single word that locates us within the Black church experience as “Preach!” is a normal part of the call and response in a Black church. But “preach” is never an exclamation you use to praise something you have said. It’s always to praise something someone else has said. So for Jay to say this about his own verse is a bit weird. I wonder if it might’ve been better for Kanye to jump in here and say this word, speaking about Jay’s verse and then for Jay to say it about Kanye’s verse at the end of the song.]

As a non hip-hopper, the subject matter is meh; as a lawyer the analysis impels me to constantly seek higher levels of critical thinking. I was however, disappointed that the same attention was not paid to the Thanksgiving line as the rest of the verse.

I wonder if the " Preach " line is a reference to Jay understanding that he is almost a bystander within his own talent. Being amazed by the God given ability. I heard him mentions several times that it just " comes outta the air " for him. It's almost as if he is outta his own self watching God speak through him and then he comes back to himself and agrees with what God spoke... By saying " Preach " as we do in the African American church??? Just Thought

the thing about so many of Jay's lines is that you can hear/interpret them differently. i've always heard the PIOUS line as: "...do a thug's prayers reach/as pious pyres cuz god loves pious" which builds on the allusion to 'torching' his previous life of dealin. BUT...your analysis links it more closely to the Socrates quote and is probably more in line w/ what he meant. Either way.....INCREDIBLE line. Another great piece Toure.

I was thinking the "Preach" line was a sort of encouragement to the general public to have an understanding of the power you have. He states what others have done already...Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy laid beats and he flowed the Holy Ghost. So the get the hell up out your seats is like "get up, get out and get somethin"...it's your turn. Preach...tell your story, testify. This type of stuff is great, the power of interpretation. Nice breakdown by Toure.

I interpreted the following line a little different "I’m out here ballin’, I know ya’ll hear my sneaks " I agree with your first statement on this line the other not so much in regards to the flashy sneakers. But here is what i gathered from the following line "I know ya’ll hear my sneaks " Jay is notorious for his word play and subliminal shots e.g. His slick 50 sent diss "I'm the Mike Jordan of rap now watch how quickly I drop 50!" or this infamous "You got baby money" that just got a response from Lil Wayne. Do you agree?

Preach to me is an encouragement...in the black church when the preacher is filled with the holy ghost...its like something is moving thru him...as if he's not in control when he taps..we know Jay doesn't write lyrics...its off top..so to me he preach is to himself...but of a power greater than himself

Dope evaluation, I agree w/pretty much the whole assessment. However,I have been taking a closer look at the montague Jay painted the whole album as the fugitive from the law. I.e. I have 5 passports I'm never going to jail. Kind of the Frank Lucas persona again!

This is what makes jay great... his uncanny ability to make rhyme with thought in an effortless manner. The lines in this verse goes way above people heads please visit my blog at insitefuleprod.tumblr.com

Nice. Great review. An extra comment on the "Is Pious pious cause God loves pious? " line. Many of the popes in history were named Pious, so in a sense his musings point in the direction of established religion.

this verse and this song actually is created and stems from frank oceans we all try and kanye west power.....the themes and lines in those songs make this song which is why such big names like ye and jay would reach out to a frank ocean.....there is a theme of philosophical questioning in each song..... kanyes verse is very meaningful too as he paints an orgy or sacrifice in his bars

This is great. Just to add my own thoughts, I think "all for Plato" also is a reference that Plato wrote in Socrates. I also think it could be heard as "off of play dough" as in small money, on to large amounts, followed by "I'm out here ballin" brings it together.
I am amazed by Jay the fact he doesn't write this stuff...good gracious.

Two quick things:
Plato was not Socrates' homie but his student and mentee. None of Socrates' writing survives. In fact, it is only through Plato's (and others) accounts of Socrates' teachings that we know of him. So the "All for Plato" line seems to be saying "whatever" maybe Plato has thought about and interpreted Socrates more than I have.

I interpreted the first line "tears on the mauseoleum floor" with less religious tint than you have: someone weeping over the death of someone great, a mausoleum being a sort of tomb.

I think something everyone's missing is that Plato is pronounced with the long (a) sound which could be yet another double entendre if you think of it as also "play though", considering the next words where he references ballin'. This turns out to be one of the best verses I've heard in a while.